Media literacy, so what?

What does media literacy have to with virtue ethic?

• Virtue ethics asks: – “who ought I to be?”– “what kind of person am I going to be”

• Media literacy helps us gain a critical awareness of the messages, values and beliefs of the culture all around us…

• These are often times in CONFLICT with some of our noble values.

What have we learned about the values of our secular culture?

• “It’s all about ME, right NOW.”

• $$ and power – sex-appeal for women– toughness/violence for men– Who are the icons of secular society for

men and women?– St. Ignatius: devil tempts us first with

riches, then honors, finally pride (wealth, fame, power)

Again, so WHAT?

What happens if you follow these secular values uncritically?

– You don’t see a problem with consumerism and materialism

– You easily justify or become apathetic to egregious economic, ecological and social injustices

– You become part of the problem – injustices in the world– Our little pursuit to fill the ego causes us to forget the big

picture – the greatness of the whole.– When we strive to fulfill expectations of society (wealth,

power, fame) it will become our demise b/c these things are competitive

So then, who are we?

• Are we so different from secular society?• We as Christians and especially as Jesuits

believe in a faith that does justice. • Our noble values: faith, hope, love, wisdom,

courage, temperance and justice

Christians - Magnificat

He has shown strength with his arm and has scattered the proud in their conceit, casting down the mighty from their thrones and lifting up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good thing and sent the rich away empty.

He has come to the aid of his servant Israel, to remember his promise of mercy, the promise made to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children for ever.

Jesuit

• To give and not count the cost.

• To fight and not heed the wounds.

• To toil and not seek rest.

• To labor and not ask for any reward,

• save that of knowing that we do your will• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fu9B30g2Lno

Who are you?• What do you believe? / What is your creed?

– Michael Rozier, sj :

“I believe that faith is as important as knowledgeI believe in a clean roomI believe in a strong rainstorm putting me to sleepI believe in the Spiritual ExercisesI believe criticism does not have to be divisiveI believe in using turning signals on cars, but I believe more in public transportationI believe the US media has abdicated its responsibility of providing legitimate information on worthwhile topicsI believe in file folders and post-itsI believe in radical honesty between friendsI believe in writing lettersI believe in prayerI believe in finding common groundI believe in democracyI believe in learning more than one language wellI believe that love, not guilt, solves the world's problemsI believe in teaching and living the questions, not the answersI believe birthdays are overratedI believe in drinking water from the tap, not a bottleI believe in the goodness of a small townI believe decent health care is a human rightI believe there is always more to say, but silence is often more profound.”